Woman Finds ‘Genius’ Solution to Stop Cat Stealing Brother’s Food

A video of woman putting each of her two felines in their own “cat cubicle” at meal times has gone viral on TikTok.

The clip was posted by @theroccoloco and has had more than 3.8 million views since it was first shared on March 26. A caption shared with the post reads: “i think i finally found a solution lol [laugh out loud] we’ll see how long it works.”

The footage shows two cats, one black-haired feline, as well as an orange-and-white one, eating from individual food bowls that are fenced off from each other. A voice heard in the clip says: “My mom made this barrier so I won’t steal my brother’s food.”

The black cat is shown reaching over the barrier, pawing and sniffing the backside of the other cat. The voice in the clip says, “Maybe I just need to go that side,” as the black cat is shown moving into a corner against a wall that is closed in by another barrier.

The voice says, “Oh now I’m trapped,” as the black cat stares over the barrier before jumping out of the corner. The feline later appears to be licking the other cat’s empty food bowl before the clip ends.

The cat’s apparent fixation on food in the latest clip is understandable as eating is an activity in itself for especially indoor cats, given their lack of environmental stimulation outdoors.

Regular feeding can help treat and prevent any stress-related health concerns for cats, such as cystitis, inactivity, overeating and other obesity-related problems. This is according to a 2018 consensus statement on how to feed a cat released by the American Association of Feline Practitioners, which was published at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) website.

Felines are “creatures of habit and take comfort in predictability,” Pam Johnson-Bennett from Cat Behavior Associates, author of several books about felines, told Newsweek in February 2022.

“To prevent potential stomach upset or food rejection, it’s best to stick to the cat’s normal nutritional program,” Johnson-Bennett said, feeding them good-quality food and keeping with the feeding schedule so the cat knows when meals are expected.

The author added that it’s important to determine your cat’s daily food portion based on health, age, body type and activity level to help prevent obesity.

Vicki Jo Harrison, the president of The International Cat Association (TICA), told Newsweek in February 2022 that the number of meals a cat has per day depends on the family schedule.

Felines should have at least two meals a day that are around 12 hours apart. “If more than 12 hours elapses between meals, the stomach can become hyper-acidic causing nausea,” Harrison said.

Spreading their feeding across five meals (feeding them at breakfast, lunch, in the afternoon, dinner and right before bed) is a great option, the TICA president added.

‘Cat Cubicle’

Users on TikTok could relate to the scene in the viral clip and praised the woman’s solution, such as SaitarnLovesAvocados who wrote: “Your mom is a genius.”

Mr. Cosmos simply wrote “cat cubicle” and Nikkole Guttridge posted: “I need to do this for my cats.”

Vanessa Bacca noted: “I have to lock my not food stealing cats away from my food stealing cat cuz he ALWAYS find a way… now he’s too chunky.”

The original poster replied: “he aggressively scratches the door when fed in a different room. he get territorial insecurity when i close door. I can’t even close the bathroom door.”

Jay wrote, “I have to body guard my cats at meal time to prevent food theft,” and anaiahj added: “I used to have to feed them in separate locations.”

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

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